Village Connect
The SM Group is stepping up as a major force in the fight against plastic pollution, embracing a unified and action-driven approach across its businesses to reduce plastic waste. Backed by its parent company SM Investments Corporation, the conglomerate recently formed an internal working group dedicated to promoting sustainable plastic use, aligning all its brands with the goals of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022.
“Plastic waste isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a business and social responsibility,” said Timothy Daniels, Head of Investor Relations and Sustainability at SM Investments. “SM’s strategy blends practical actions with long-term commitments.”
Among the group’s pioneering initiatives is the longstanding use of eco-bags in SM Markets, which includes SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore. In 2024 alone, the sale of 19 million Green Bags helped avoid an estimated 42 million single-use plastic bags.
Retail affiliate Watsons Philippines is also making strides, with 81% of its stores already using paper bags and over 2,100 products labeled under its Sustainable Choices initiative. These items meet standards in clean beauty, better packaging, and refillable solutions—giving consumers greener options.
Goldilocks Bakeshop, part of SM’s portfolio, has cut back on plastic by reducing ribbon use in packaging, saving 7,000 kilograms of plastic annually. Meanwhile, logistics arm 2GO Group has shifted to biodegradable and reusable packaging materials, reinforcing the company’s goal to go plastic-free in its shipping operations.
SM Prime Holdings, the property development arm, is supporting the cause by building the infrastructure needed for effective plastic waste management. Its malls and properties are equipped with Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), standard waste segregation systems, and 15 drop-off points that collectively diverted nearly 64,000 kilograms of plastic waste from landfills.
The “Trash-to-Cash” recycling market, held monthly in all SM Supermalls, continues to drive consumer participation. With around a million kilograms of recyclables collected monthly, the program has diverted 12 million kilograms of waste—equivalent to saving 204,000 trees or reducing 18,000 tons in carbon emissions.
SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC) has also eliminated single-use plastics in its properties since 2018, embracing refillable and eco-friendly amenities.
As Daniels emphasized, “Plastic reduction at SM isn’t a one-off campaign—it’s a collective, ongoing journey rooted in everyday decisions and long-term thinking.”
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